Finding equilibrium

Equilibrium: a state of balance.

The delicate balancing of our daily lives.

Noticing the small details such as the delicate golden hour light illuminating the dewdrops on the petals

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I hope you enjoy this video of quiet moments in nature, recorded over the past month. I find these natural sounds grounding, soothing and re-balancing, bringing me back into harmony and equilibrium.

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How do you balance your life?

Finding a sense of equilibrium for me involves living slowly and simply. Appreciating and acknowledging the small moments, the changes of the seasons, and feeling gratitude for all that I have. Living in tune with the ebb and flow of energy levels, allowing myself to completely rest if needed.

Our bodies constantly seek equilibrium, both physically and mentally. My word of the year is empowerment, and my main focus has been on achieving mental equilibrium. This enables me to feel empowered, confident in myself and authentically me. Just as the little egret was completely itself one morning at the harbour. It wasn’t worrying about what the future holds, or what anyone else was achieving, instead it was completely focused on the task at hand: catching the next meal.

Daily meditation in the morning truly brings me clarity, inner peace and calm for the day ahead. It grounds me in the present moment, allowing me to put aside the omnipresent to-do list for a while. I think people think that meditation is something they need to be perfect at. I often find my mind and thoughts wandering; the key is noticing that, and bringing your attention back to your breath and the present moment. It has been the one thing that has changed my life to achieve inner peace.

I recently visited my auntie and noticed she worries A LOT about all sorts of minor, trivial things. She overthinks and generally seems unsettled in the present moment, constantly worrying about the next thing. It honestly felt quite overwhelming. Of course, I tried to tell her not to worry so much, but trying to tell someone how to live their life doesn’t really work. So, instead, I just hope that by setting an example, emanating a calm aura and living my life peacefully, that I can inspire others to simply go with the flow.

Physically, I’ve learnt to be gentle with myself. I don’t follow a strict routine; instead, I see what I feel up to exercise-wise each day. Sometimes this will be working in the garden, a gentle walk, a calming yoga session (yoginimelbourne is my favourite), or if I’m feeling more energetic, I’ll do a beginner’s strength routine (which I actually love and find so empowering - even though it’s humbling having to start at the very beginning again, since many bouts of Covid last year diminished my fitness levels).

Beauty in simplicity

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Nature

Nature is the ultimate expert at finding equilibrium. It flows with the seasons, not resisting them, and steadfastly survives all manner of weather. Some things thrive, and others inevitably do not. Nature adapts and perseveres, continuing regardless.

Recently, it was the summer solstice, the longest day, with many glorious hours of sunlight. In past years, I’ve put pressure on myself to do something, but always away from home, feeling that this was more meaningful. This year, for the first time, I felt relaxed about the day. I set the alarm for 4:15 AM telling myself that if I felt okay, I would get up and go to watch the sunrise. Amazingly, I woke up feeling energetic and refreshed, so I packed up the overnight oats, made a flask of tea, put my camera in the backpack, and headed out.

This year, I decided not to travel away, but to walk along my favourite stretch of coast path. It felt much more memorable and meaningful. I truly felt present and connected to the land - a part of something larger. I sat on the perfect cliff ledge spot to watch the magnificent sunrise. Smatterings of small clouds creating a beautiful visual, coming alive as the slowly rising sun illuminating their edges golden. The warm breeze gently buffeted around me as the orange glowing orb of the rising sun appeared above the faraway clifftops. It was a reminder that the earth still spins, the sun still rises and sets, the moon is always present, and how lucky we are to be on this planet. I no longer watch the news, as it leaves me with a feeling of despair and despondency about the future of humanity, but in this perfect moment, everything felt aligned and supremely beautiful.

It was a moment where everything felt in equilibrium, as I watched the many wildflowers and grasses swaying in the wind. As the sun rose through the clouds, its rays beamed out in all directions. It felt as though the morning was embracing me, its vibrant, radiant energy beaming into my soul. The seagulls also seemed to be enjoying it, swirling, soaring and gliding, while some were perched on the cliff top, apparently watching the sunrise also. The delicate scent of honeysuckle filled my nostrils with pleasure. I felt utterly serene and in complete equilibrium in that moment.

Summer Solstice sunrise. Magnificent beauty of mother Earth

Wildflowers dancing in the breeze with the honeysuckle filling the air with it's perfumed scent.

The rest of the day was spent reading, gardening, and taking a much-needed nap after such an early start. I enjoyed an afternoon sea swim, soaking in the lively atmosphere of families enjoying themselves (and the inevitable children screaming “There’s a crab! There’s a crab!”). After cooking dinner, I headed out for a sunset walk. Again, I chose to walk along my favourite part of the coast path which perfectly catches the sunset, though I made a diversion to the memory stones. Although not ancient, these stones were recently installed to honour the cycle of the sun. More information can be found about them here. Luckily, I made it with just seconds to spare to watch the setting sun align with the particular stone.

This is the first year that I have actually paid attention to where the sun rises or sets, and in years to come, I look forward to this becoming my solstice tradition. These small, grounding moments are what allow me to feel in equilibrium, and provide meaning throughout the year. A timeless connection to our ancient ancestors. Surprisingly and sadly, no other person was witnessing the moment at the memory stones, so I spent some time soaking in the naturally conducting energy from the stones. It was definitely a day to apricate - a sacred recharging and rebalancing of cortisol and melatonin levels and energy rhythms needed for the long, dark months ahead.

Summer Solstice sunset at the Memory Stones.

By living this way, connecting to place, and grounding into where you call home, is a way to harmonise and live in equilibrium. It provides a bank of inner resources to draw on during those inevitable busy periods of life - an antidote to the chaotic busyness of our modern lives. It’s a way to slow down, even if briefly, to calm and soothe your nervous system. In a world that constantly pulls us in a thousand directions, these intentional pauses anchor me, and prevent me from being swept away with mindless days passing by.

One of my favourite things to do if I’m driving in busy traffic is to open the windows, notice the birdsong that drifts in, and take a few deep, slow breaths. There is nothing I can do about the amount of traffic, but there is something I can do about my reaction to it. As the days very gradually begin to get shorter, work remains full-time, life and chores remain ongoing, but these small pockets of respite amongst nature, and honouring the seasonal shifts in a meaningful manner, help me to navigate each day as it comes.

The moon is our guiding anchor.

By resting and relaxing completely, we can improve creative focus

- Thich Nhat Hanh

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When you commit to genuinely living with authenticity, you find that in difficult times, you can draw on these resources and navigate challenges, without falling back into old, unhelpful habits. For example, when a close family member recently called me the other day to “catch up”, it was, in reality, twenty minutes of them sharing their ‘big news’ without once asking how I was. Previously, this would have triggered me into self-sabotage. Now, however, I understand that their behaviour is their own, and my reaction to them is also my own. I know that I am good enough, and my life is exactly how I want it to be. I don’t need to beg them for praise or attention. Growth and change, and developing yourself isn’t a quick fix; it takes time. But the effort is truly worth it to be comfortable in your own skin and happy with the life you have. All of this is to say, that navigating life is a practice, not perfection. We all falter sometimes, and being in complete equilibrium is unrealistic. Life will always throw us curveballs, but having the tools makes navigating them easier.

I find the patterns, shapes, textures, flowers of the horse chestnut tree fascinating and could look at it for hours.

I’m interested to know, what keeps you in equilibrium? Is it something you think about? Do you celebrate and honour the solstices or equinoxes? What ancient traditions do you follow?

Thank-you for spending time here. My aim with these posts is to gently offer a moment of peace and calm amidst our busy lives. May these quiet moments help you find your own equilibrium. I look forward to sharing more serene pauses soon. Take care.

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